


Soon You'll Get Better

by Hippiebuckyharrington



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst, Billy in the hospital, FUCK SEASON 3, Fluff, Happy Ending, I honestly don't know what the hell this is, Joyce handles it, M/M, Season 3 Fix it, Steve says the f word once, That's it, billy lives, but don't really hang out, dont worry, steve loves him, thats the fic, the party is all mentioned, unbeta'd we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2019-09-06
Packaged: 2020-10-11 10:48:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20544905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hippiebuckyharrington/pseuds/Hippiebuckyharrington
Summary: Steve Harrington nearly looses the man he loves during the horrible battle of Starcourt. And he couldn't get to him in time, couldn't stop the mind flayer from hurting him. So Steve does the only thing he can do, and refuses to leave his side while he recovers in the hospital.





	Soon You'll Get Better

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, this was written while I was procrastinating my physics homework, and then edited today. Also, I know I'm months late to the season three fix it, but this is a short little thing I wrote while in my feels about Billy. So enjoy!  
Title from the Taylor Swift song by the same name, because I'm sappy.

"Steve?" Someone calls from nearby. 

Steve ignores them, brushing back sweaty hair from a too pale forehead.

"You're ok, you have to be ok." He whispers.

"Steve?" The someone tries again. 

Steve pulls the man in his arms closer and ignores everything else. 

"You're ok. It's gone, you stopped it. Come back, come back to me." Steve whispers again, gently cupping the man’s cheek.

"Let me try." A different voice, and someone squats down in Steve’s periphery and shoos someone Steve can't see away. 

"Stevie?" They whisper.

"He's gonna be fine." Steve whispers. The redhead in front of him nods.

"Yeah, but you gotta let go of him. The paramedics are here. They need to check him over." She whispers, reaching out to take Steve's hand. Steve glances up, letting her pull the hand on the man’s cheek into both of hers. 

His eyes swim with tears. He glances around, sees the paramedics hovering, looking antsy, one looks a little like he'd like nothing more than to rip Steve away. He pulls his arms tighter, brushing gentle fingers down the man's cheek, after taking his hand back from Max.

"Max…." Steve whispers, and glances up. 

"I know." She says, and she's crying too. "We gotta let them help. Please, Steve you have to let them help." She whispers. A paramedic comes closer and bends down next to Max. 

"You can come with us; we need to move him. We need to take him to the hospital, he's losing blood. But you and his sister can come with us." The paramedic says. 

"Steve, we can go to the hospital, wait for him. We can be right there for him, but you have to let go." Max whispers, and she's almost sobbing now. Steve feels his heart, already aching, clench even more. One of his kids is upset, is hurting and he needs to take care of her. Enough logic has returned now. He turns to the paramedics. 

"You fix him. You save him." Steve says, voice breaking. They nod. 

"We'll do our be-" They start. Steve cuts them off, standing up and lifting the blonde into his arms. Max comes close and takes the blonde's dangling hand. He starts to walk over to the stretcher they brought in.

"You don't do your best. You fucking save him, you fix him." Steve says, and then lies his burden down. The paramedics race forward, and Max supports Steve when he almost falls. He surrenders some of his weight to her and feels Robin rush up to take his other side.

"You fucking fix him." Steve grits out. The paramedics ignore him and they rush out with their patient strapped to the stretcher. 

After he's gone, time is a blur. Joyce is there, and Hopper with his gruff affection, yanking El into a hug, saying she did so good, he's so proud. Max shoots Joyce one look, from where she's supporting a staggering Steve, and suddenly they are in a car heading to the hospital. Robin tells him she’ll see the rest of his kids home. 

Then there's hours in the hospital, Steve dozing and finally letting Joyce yank his head to her shoulder, with a curt "Sleep. You've done all you can. Sleep. I'll wake you up if any news comes." Steve would argue, but he's exhausted and sleeps for a bit. He jolts awake an hour later to a nightmare.

He blinks around and glances at Joyce, who's reading, leg bouncing like she wants to go smoke. 

"Where are the kids?" Steve whispers, rubbing his face. 

"Your kids' actual parents picked them up, and Robin made sure they were ok. Max and El went to Hop's place, with the promise that the second there is news we bring Max back." Joyce says. 

"You don't have to stay." Steve whispers. 

"Oh honey, of course I do. I'm not gonna leave you here alone. I am gonna give you this, insist you change, and I’m gonna go smoke. But when I get back, we can talk about it if you want." Joyce says, handing Steve a wadded up clean shirt. Steve takes it down to the bathroom down the hall, takes a piss, changes his shirt, and finds some sweatpants wadded up with the shirt. He balls up his Scoops uniform and throws it away. He pads back to the waiting room and curls back in the chair.

Joyce comes back ten minutes later, and sits next to him, letting him lean against her. 

"You wanna call your parents hun?" She asks. Steve shakes his head. 

"No. They are in Italy closing some business deal. International calling is a bitch." Steve says. 

Joyce, to her credit doesn't say anything, but she does comb some fingers through his hair. Steve sighs. 

"You ok?" She whispers. Steve shakes his head, and swipes at his tears. 

"You wanna talk?" Joyce asks, nudging Steve up to sitting. They turn to face each other, and Joyce takes his hands. 

"I don't know what to say." Steve whispers, and looks down at his hands. 

"Steve, I'm not gonna be mad, and judge you. Did Will tell you?" She whispers. Steve nods.

"I'm not a fag, Joyce." Steve whispers. 

"Steven David Harrington, we do not use that word when talking about ourselves. Look at me." Joyce snips. Steve looks up. "You are an amazing person, and that man in that operating room is damn lucky to have you on his side. You are wonderful, and smart, and kind, and my son looks up to you so much. Dustin adores you, Mike does too, Lucas is fiercely protective of you, and the girls call you their party mom. All those kids of ours love you so much. None of them are judging you for being here, and the only reason Max went home was because you are here, taking care of her brother. You are so many things Steve, but that horrible horrible word, is nothing I would ever use to describe you, and fuck anyone who does. You hear me?" She says. Steve smiles and hugs her. 

"Thanks for being here." He whispers. She smiles, and brushes some tears off his cheeks. 

"Talk to me honey. We could be here for hours." She says. Steve sighs. 

"We aren't anything. He and I, there's nothing between us. I just, he means so much to me. Like without realizing it, I fell for him. I realized I was bisexual a long time ago, I fooled around with some guy friends a couple times. And he and I were kinda becoming friends, we hung out sometimes in the beginning of the summer. Going to parties, driving to the quarry, smoking and drinking. And I've liked him for so long, I'm not sure I even noticed it happening, and then today." 

Steve’s voice breaks. "And then he got distant suddenly, like a week ago, and stopped hanging out. He was weird, I called him and he yelled at me." Steve takes a deep breath and paws his eyes, angry at the tears. 

He had called Billy a week or so ago, asking if Billy wanted to go to the quarry. Billy had screamed at him to fuck off, to leave him the fuck alone. 

"I should have known, we should have seen the signs, I should have... I should have helped him…" Steve trails off. Joyce takes his hands. 

"No, honey. This is not your fault. None of this is your fault." She whispers. Steve stifles a sob.

"I should have helped. And then today. We were throwing fireworks at that fucking monster, and I realized I was out, and I heard a scream. I looked over, and he was falling. And I just... My world broke Joyce. Everything just stopped. And then I was screaming his name and running to him. I grabbed him off the floor, and clutched him to me. Like I could make him better, just by holding him close." Steve looks down. Remembering how he'd looked, cradled in Steve's arms. 

"I don't think he feels anything for me, Joyce. Maybe just friends. He apologized for beating me up." Steve says, and swipes at his eyes. 

Joyce opens her mouth to continue when they are interrupted. 

"Are you two the people here for Billy Hargrove?" The doctor asks, which is a bit foolish, given its 2am and the waiting room is vacant except for them. Steve shoots up and nods vigorously. 

"Yes, we are." Joyce says. 

"He's out of surgery, he’s been moved to a room. The surgery was touch-and-go for a while, he crashed three times, but is stable and resting. I'm not supposed to let you up to see him, but I'll make an exception. You can go sit with him if you promise not to disturb him, and to be quiet, let him heal. He's in room 413." The doctor says and Steve is running. He races down the hall, and up the stairs. He slows before Billy's room, and opens the door quietly. 

Billy is sleeping, or drugged or something. His curls are fanned around the pillow and his chest is bandaged. He’s got IVs in the back of one hand, and oxygen in his nose. He’s pale, and his breaths are shallow. Steve steps closer and takes Billy's hand in the dark room. 

"I'm here, Billy. I'm here. " Steve whispers, dragging a chair closer with his foot and sitting down in it, still holding Billy's hand. 

Joyce comes in about thirty minutes later. 

"I called Hop, told him Billy is out of surgery. Max woke up and they are gonna be in in the morning. Max made me promise to stay with both of you. The hospital also called Billy's parents." Joyce says. Steve doesn't look away from Billy. 

"They won't come." Steve says. "Neil… They won't come." 

"That's what the nurse said." Joyce says and settles in a chair. 

Joyce dozes off soon after, but Steve stares at Billy. 

"You were so brave. I'm so proud of you, baby." Steve breathes, softly. Billy doesn't move, but his heart monitor just blips along, and Steve has never heard a better sound. Steve leans closer, so he’s whispering in Billy’s ear.

"You're gonna be ok, and we are gonna go to the beach. I'm gonna drive you to California. We'll road trip, and smoke weed in shitty hotels and laugh our asses off, and you can show me the ocean for the first time. I bet you're an incredible swimmer. I bet you look at home on the beach, like it's where you're supposed to be. I want to see that, baby. But first, you gotta sleep and rest up. And get better. You have to get better. So, I can drive that cute ass of yours to the beach." Steve says, and sobs, pressing his head to their joined hands. 

Steve eventually falls asleep, head on the bed next to Billy, still holding his hand. 

Steve wakes up to quiet talking. 

"Shhh Max. Sleeping." El's voice says, close by. Someone is braiding his hair. 

"I am being quiet El. I'm just talking normally!" Max cries, voice raising. Steve groans and rubs his eyes, sitting up. Billy is unchanged, El is perched on the edge of the bed, and Max is in a chair, holding Billy's hand. 

"Good morning." El says softly. Steve smiles. 

"Hop and Joyce went to get coffee and take Joyce home.” Max chirps.

And then El and Max start telling stories, joking around with Steve. Steve holds Billy's hand, lets El finish braiding his hair, and lets the kids be kids. If he and Max cry quietly through out the day, then El and Hopper, when he comes back, are too kind to mention it.

Billy doesn't wake that day, or the next, or the next, or the next or the next or the next. Steve doesn't leave, to the point where the hospital staff bring in a cot next to Billy's bed after the fifth night Steve spends in the chair.

Steve only goes home to shower and check on his house occasionally. The thought of Billy waking up alone, or Steve not being there, kills him. And, the fact that Steve spends the night with Billy every night is the only reason Max leaves and goes home. Susan and Neil don’t visit, but Susan does give the hospital the insurance information. 

The Party takes shifts during the day as July ticks on, sitting with Max and Steve so they aren't bored. Joyce and Hop come too, so does Robin. 

The doctors say Billy is healing, slowly but surely, his body stitching itself back together after the Mind Flayer ripped it apart. He's healing, slowly, and the sleeping is helping that. 

Steve believes them. But when he and Billy are alone, Steve closes the door to Billy's room, and takes Billy's hand. He talks and cries. Tells Billy everything and anything. Cries over him, begs him to wake up.

He ends every night the same: he brushes back Billy's curls, and kisses Billy's forehead. Then leans their heads together and whispers:

"I'm so proud of you baby. I'm here for you, always. You're so strong, Billy baby. You're so strong. You take your time healing, but come back to us, ok?" Steve whispers, every night. He strokes Billy's curls, and then climbs into the cot and falls asleep watching Billy breathe.

After a week in the hospital, Steve is friends with all the nurses and doctors. The morning meds nurse, Jax thinks Billy and Steve are life partners and Steve does nothing to dissuade them. Jax usually is the one to wake Steve up, coming in to give Billy his meds and check vitals at the shift change every morning. 

When Jax enters on Saturday morning, Steve stretches and watches Jax dose Billy's IV. 

"Hey Jax." Steve says. 

"Hey Steve. How are ya?" Jax asks checking Billy's heart rate. 

"I'm ok. Hey I was wondering. Billy cares so much about his hair, and it's so dirty and lank. He'd never forgive me if I left it like this." Steve says, stretching and walking over to Billy, brushing his hair with his fingers. Jax laughs. 

"God, wish I had a partner like you. Let me see what I can do." Jax says, and leaves. Steve showers in Billy's en suite, and gets dressed. When he walks back to Billy a different nurse comes in with a bucket and shampoo. 

"This is the best we can do." She says shrugging. She helps Steve move Billy's pillows, and scoot the bed forward to give Steve room behind it. They scoot Billy close to the edge, and drape a towel under his head and over his eyes. Steve smiles at the nurse as she leaves and fills the bucket with warm water and scowls at the shampoo. 

"This is garbage babe. I'm not gonna let it touch your hair don't worry, I don't have any of your shampoo, but I think you won't mind mine, just this once." Steve says softly. He gently works a hair brush through Billy's long hair, then gently gets it all wet and soaps it up. 

He's gently massaging Billy's scalp with soapy fingers and muttering on about Scoops and Robin when Max and Lucas come in. They stop inside the door, and Steve just glances up, but doesn't still his hands. 

"Hey Max, hey Lucas." Steve calls. 

"Hey Steve. The fuck you doing?" Lucas says. 

"Language. I'm washing Billy's hair, what's it look like?" Steve asks, working soap to the ends of the hair. 

"Uh yeah but why?" Lucas asks. 

"Oh my god Lucas, it's so damn obvious. Steve is in love with my brother, and is washing his hair because my brother cares way too much about it." Max says, and plops down on the end of the bed. She opens a comic book and rests her hand on Billy's foot. 

"You’re in love with Billy Hargrove?!" Lucas shrieks. 

Both Max and Steve shush him. 

"Yes, he is." Max says, and grins at Steve over the top of her comic.

Steve smiles and starts gently rinsing out the shampoo, then works conditioner through Billy's hair. He rinses it again, before carefully towel drying it. He hums some random song under his breath, and lets Lucas gape at him. He dries Billy's hair thoroughly and then the nurses and him move Billy back down the bed to lie on his pillows. Steve smiles softly, and arranges the golden curls against the pillow, making sure the plastic tubing of his oxygen is carefully tucked behind his ears.

"There baby, that's gotta feel better." Steve mutters, smiling, and then sits down to read another comic Max brought. 

"Ok, so Steve loves Billy." Lucas says, and goes back to his handheld videogame. 

Steve smiles a little and ignores Lucas.

Steve may seem to be doing ok, as a week bleeds into two, and two bleeds into a month. He refuses to go home, refuses to be gone from Billy's side for more than an hour. 

He cries a lot, when it's just the two of them. Because this is hard, and every time he sleeps, he sees Billy being hurt. Over and over. 

He's breaking, crumbling, and he feels this niggling doubt. What if Billy wakes up and doesn't want him here, what if Billy wakes up and is mad that Steve has been here this whole time. Sure, Steve loves Billy and has already admitted that but Billy may not feel the same.

Joyce comes by, just her on a Tuesday before her shift, when the kids are off at Steve's pool with Jonathan and Nancy enjoying the last days of summer.

"Hey Joyce." Steve says, turning off the TV.

"Hi Steve." Joyce says and hugs him. She drags a chair over and they sit side by side. 

She takes Steve's hand and looks at him long and hard. 

"Are you ok honey? You haven't been home in a week. Sitting in this room all the time isn't a life." She says. 

Steve sighs and looks over at Billy. 

"I'm fine Joyce. Honestly." Steve says. Joyce just looks at him. 

Steve never did hold up well under motherly stares like that. He takes a shuddering breath.

"I can't leave." Steve whispers, and glances at Billy again. 

"Steve, honey, you can leave if you need or want to. You can go home, sleep in your own bed, go outside. The kids are begging you to go swimming with them. Go grab lunch with Robin, go somewhere other than here." Joyce says.

"I can't leave." Steve whispers. 

"Steve." Joyce says, stern. "This isn't healthy! Go, swim with the kids!" Joyce says. 

"I CAN’T!" Steve shouts, and gets a dirty look from a nurse passing in the hall. Steve sighs, and drops his head to his hands. "I can't Joyce. He al-almost died." Steve says, voice breaking. And it suddenly all hits him. The month of sitting here, the pain of watching Billy fall, the terror that Billy will never wake up. It crashes down in a wave over Steve, and he’s helpless to stop it.

He sobs and collapses sideways into Joyce, who readily catches him. 

"He almost died Joyce, and I couldn't stop it. I couldn't get there, I just had to watch it stab him and watch him fall, like it was slow motion." Steve stutters out between sobs. "But I can sit here, and hold his hand, and talk to him. And I can brush his hair and wash his curls, and I can read to him. And I can tell him that he's not alone. That someone loves him and is here. I can't do anything, I can't help him, I can't make him better." Steve sobs. 

Joyce wraps him tight in her arms, and makes gentle soothing sounds. 

"He almost died Joyce." Steve wails. 

"I know. I know, Steve." She says, and then Steve's sobs reach a pitch that he can't speak around. 

He cries himself out eventually and sits up slowly. Breathing hiccups, and letting Joyce rub his back, he glances over at Billy. 

"I can't leave him." Steve says, voice rough. 

Joyce nods. "I know, I'm just saying, check in with yourself." 

Steve nods and hugs her tight. Joyce hugs him back. 

"I have to go. But promise me, dinner Friday night, my house. Leave this hospital and its horrible food. Ok?" Joyce says. Steve smiles. 

"Of course, I'll have to hear all the stories from the first day of high school from the kids." Steve says. Joyce smiles and leaves with a last hug. Steve smiles too, and sits down to go back to his show. 

That night, Steve gets ready for bed like always. But tonight, he crawls into bed next to Billy, carefully folding his body around Billy's. He leans his forehead against the side of the other's head. He takes a deep breath. 

"I like that you smell like you still, under my shampoo and the hospital smell. You smell like you." Steve says, and his eyes fill with tears. He curls close and holds Billy gently. He sighs.

"I'm gonna hold you and sleep up here tonight, because I miss you so much. And you almost died and I need to convince myself that you are alive, ok? That you are actually here next me, because I love you Billy." Steve whispers. 

He is almost asleep when he feels a hand in his hair. He hums and turns into the touch. 

"Tell me again." A voice croaks. 

"Mmmmm. Tell you what baby?" Steve whispers, eyes closed, nuzzling closer to Billy. Mind sleep muddled, feeling warm and content.

There's a laugh. 

"That you love me." The voice croaks. 

"I love you, now let me sleep." Steve grumbles. There's another laugh. 

And suddenly Steve sits bolt upright and gapes down at Billy, who is smiling up at him.

"Oh my god." Steve says, and covers his mouth, tears welling in his eyes. "Oh my god." 

"Heya Harrington." Billy says. And then clears his throat like it’s scratchy. 

"Oh!" Steve cries and leaps out of bed and grabs a glass of water for Billy after hitting the call button for the nurse. Billy sips it and then sits back, and then a nurse bustles in, looking unsurprised to see Billy awake.

“Good to see you awake and smiling Mr. Hargrove. How do you feel?” She asks, as she takes Billy's vitals, while Steve hovers in the periphery and watches anxiously. 

“Like hell warmed over.” Billy coughs. The nurse laughs. 

"Well, your heart rate and blood oxygen levels are looking good Mr. Hargrove. The doc will check on you tomorrow." She says, and then smiles at Steve. She hugs Steve tight as she heads for the door.

"I told ya honey." She says. Steve grins. 

"Thank you Rose." Steve says, and the nurse leaves, closing the door and turning down the lights as she does.

Steve dashes over and takes Billy's hand again, sitting in his usual chair. 

Billy frowns. 

"Get up here." He says, and scooches over. Steve does as told, and curls around Billy again, holding his hand. 

"You're awake." Steve says. Billy smiles, sighs and curls closer. 

"Yeah. You're here." Billy says. 

"Of course I'm here!" Steve says. 

"What no baby?' Billy says, and pouts. Steve props himself up on an elbow and looks down at Billy.

"Could you hear me?" Steve whispers. 

"Not always." Billy admits, fussing with his oxygen. Steve gently bats his hand away. Billy reaches up and cups Steve's cheek. "Sometimes. You told me you were always here. And called me baby." Steve smiles and leans into Billy's hand. 

They just stare at each other again. Billy looks like he's just as glad to see Steve as Steve is to see him. It’s a little heady, being looked at like that with those ocean blue eyes.

"Tell me again." Billy whispers. Steve blinks. 

"You really want me to?" 

"Tell me again Harrington." 

"I love you Billy Hargrove." Steve whispers. 

"I love you too Steve Harrington." Billy says, and then the both of them are sobbing. Steve tips his forehead against Billy's and the both of them cry quietly. 

Steve then lies down and tucks Billy against his chest. 

Billy curls close. "You really been here the whole time?"

"Of course. I promised I would be." Steve whispers. 

"I heard you, earlier today with Mrs. Byers." Billy whispers back. Steve sighs. 

"I'm sorry." He whispers. 

"Don't apologize." Billy says and pulls back. "No one has ever said anything like that about me. No one has ever stuck by me like that, no one has ever been like you Stevie." 

All Steve can do is lean forward and kiss Billy gently. It’s barely a kiss, just a gentle press of their mouths but it means so much to both of them.

Billy is exhausted and so is Steve, so they curl together and drift off, smiles playing around both of their lips. 

"Morning kids!" Jax calls breezing into the room, waking the sleeping teens. 

"Fuck you." Billy says, and curls into Steve, hiding his face in Steve’s chest. Steve laughs. 

"Wow, that's the person you fell for? Not really a morning person, is he?" Jax says. Steve laughs, delighted and holds Billy close. 

"No, he isn’t." Steve says softly. Jax rounds the bed and puts the meds into Billy’s IV.

"These might burn Billy." Jax says, and Billy hisses and curls closer to Steve, holding him tight. Steve combs his fingers through Billy's hair. 

"Shhhh baby. I'm here, I got you." Steve whispers, tucking his nose in Billy's hair. Jax smiles.

"And here's the morphine, you'll feel better." Jax says and then grins at Steve and leaves. 

"I like him." Billy says, relaxing a little. Steve chuckles. 

"Yeah me too. He comes by almost every morning. He thinks we're really cute." Steve says. Still can't believe Billy is curled against him. Billy's eyes droop closed as the morphine hits, and Steve just beams at him, combing back the golden curls. 

"I'm so proud of you baby. I'm here for you, always. You're so strong, Billy baby. You're so strong." Steve whispers later, when Billy wakes up a little from his post morphine nap.

Billy is still mostly dosing, tucked against Steve's chest with the TV going. 

"You said that to me every night, didn't you?" Billy asks. 

"Every night. And I intend to keep saying it." Steve whispers.

"And the beach?" Billy says, curling closer still. Steve combs his fingers through Billy’s hair. 

"I'm gonna drive your ass to the beach." Steve starts. 

"My cute ass." Billy grumps. Steve smiles, and his eyes fill with tears. 

"Yes. Your cute ass and I are gonna go to the beach. I'm gonna load you into my Beemer, and we are gonna drive to the beach. And I'm gonna get you high in hotel rooms, and drunk on the beach." 

"And kiss me?" Billy asks, tipping his head up to Steve. 

"Yes. Kiss you, and spoil you fucking rotten, baby. I got a trust fund I ain't using. We're gonna take you to Cali. And you're gonna show me the beach. And the ocean for the first time, you're gonna show me the ocean for the first time." Steve whispers, voice cracking a little. Billy's eyes are closed, and Steve smiles and watches him. 

The door creaks open and Max and El come in. They look surprised at the position the teens are in. Steve hold a hand to his lips. 

"I'm gonna make you stop at shitty diners and feed you tons of greasy fries and greasy food. Oh, and baby we are gonna watch the sunset, every night. We will drive somewhere and sit on the hood of my car and watch the sunset." Steve says. 

"We will have to send postcards to Max." Billy says, eyes closed. 

"BILLY!!" Max screams and throws herself onto the bed. Billy barely has time to open his eyes and catch her before she's hugging him fiercly. Steve has to shit back a bit from the embracing siblings as they both start sobbing. 

"Hey shitbird." Billy whispers, and holds Max tight. 

"Oh my god. Oh my god! When did you wake up?!" She shrieks. 

"Last night." Billy says. Max turns and swats Steve. 

"Hey! Easy! Don't hit my boyfriend." Billy scolds, wiping tears from his eyes.

"He was supposed to call me when you woke up!!" Max shrieks. "Also, boyfriends?!?!" Max shrieks louder, excited.

"Boyfriend?" Steve whispers. 

"Baby." Billy says, turning to Steve. "You sat in a hospital for a month, slept here, and held my hand and encouraged me. Of course we are boyfriends." And really what can Steve do but kiss him while Max and El shriek in the back ground.

_Three months later._

"Tell me again." Billy whispers. Steve laughs and pulls Billy close, tucking him against his chest. 

"mmmm tell ya what?" Steve mutters, enjoying the way Billy snuggles against his chest. Steve hooks his chin on Billy's shoulder and kisses his neck. 

Billy laughs and threads his fingers through Steve's. 

"There was a baby in there the first time you said that." Billy snarks. Steve laughs. 

"Fine." Steve says. "Tell ya what, baby?" 

"Tell me you love me." Billy says, and turns in the circle of Steve's arms, looping his arms around his neck.

"You're gonna miss the sunset, love." Steve whispers. 

"I like looking at you better." Billy whispers back. 

Steve blushes. "I drove your ass all the way to California, to take you to the beach, and you pull that line?" Steve taunts. Billy pecks him on the lips. 

"My adorable ass." Billy insists. 

"Yes, your adorable ass." Steve teases, and bumps their noses together. 

"Tell me again Stevie." Billy says.

"I love you Billy Hargrove. So so much." Steve whispers. 

Billy beams and leaps into Steve's arms, wrapping his legs around Steve's waist, so Steve's feet sink a bit into the sand. Steve spins them around, Billy’s shirt open and flapping in the warm California air. Billy laughs and kisses Steve, curls and eyes glowing in the setting sun. Steve beams up at him, and can’t think of anything better than this moment. 

Especially when Billy whispers: "I love you too Steve Harrington."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!! Find me on tumblr [here!](https://hippiebuckyharrington.tumblr.com/)


End file.
